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Identified with several flora and research evidential sources, as we observed the condition of
orchid will damage due to some road widening and already this orchid is in threatened list as
said by S.K.Barik (2018). And also, it is endangered species in Karnataka (Satheeshkumar et
al., 2004).
Vanda wightii.Rchb.f. :
Vanda wightii Rchb.f., Ann. Bot. Syst. 6:932. 1864; hooker f., Brit. India 6:5. 1890; Fisher in
Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras :1445. 1928; Henry et al., J. Bombay nat. Hist. soc. 75:697. 1978
(1979); Ahmedullah & Nayar, Endemis Pl. Ind. Reg. 253.1986; Joseph, Orch. Niligiris 177.
1987; Mohanan & Balakrishnan in Karunakaran, C.K. (Ed.), Proc. Symp. Rare, Endang. End.
Pl. West. Ghats 189. 1991; Satish Kumar in Nair et al. (Eds), Eco-Develop. West. Ghats 51.
1986 & in Karunakaran, C. K. (Ed.), Proc. Symposium on Rare, Endang.End. Pl. west. Ghats
213. 1997; Nayar & Sastry (Eds), Red Data Book Ind. Pl. 2: 280. 1987.
Epiphytes. Stem 15-22cm long, profusely rooting at the base and leaves closely arranged
above. Leaves are joined at base, deeply channelled in the middle, V-shaped in cross section,
keeled, thick, fleshy and coriaceous, unequally bilobed at the apex. Inflorescence is simple
and axillary raceme, long with thick peduncle; sterile bracts 12, tubular, covering the
inflorescence axis; pedicle and ovary long; floral bracts, triangular ovate, gland dotted, acute
at the apex. Flowers 2-3, pleasantly fragrant, reminding strongly the smell of vanda
tessellate/Cestrum nocturnum, dirty brownish green with light yellow on sepals, petals and
lateral sepals, white at base and backside; dorsal sepal ovate-oblong, clawed and obtuse at
base, slightly wavy on margins, 7-veined, side veins branched, all veins connected by
intraveinal bridges; elliptic, obovate, obtuse at apex, 7-veined, margin at the basal portion
backwardly folded; petals, obovate-oblong, 5 veined, clawed at the base ,obtusely acute at
apex; lip white throughout, with a flash of yellow at inner backwall of sac between the
sidelobes; long with long saccate spur, immovably attached to the base of a short column
foot; side lobes, oblong, midlobe thick fleshy with 2 keels, medianly deep channelled; spur
wide mouthed, laterally compressed, obtuse at the apex, backwall with W shaped orange
making, tip with small papillae; column white, broadened at apex; anther terminal.
Operculum, 2 celled at base with one flap covering each cell, connected to column by a short
neck at base; pollinarium with 2 obovid pollinia, each pollinium, cleft attached by a thin
transparent and elastic caudicle to transparent stipe; stipe thin and roughly triangular, folded
at the base to the broad and roughly ovate viscidium. Fruit usually 4-5cm, light green, with
thick ridges and furrows.
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